How offen do u change the water

[Rodjtcsa]

How offen do u change the water n do u have to siphon the gravel every time oh I have plants in my tank.

 

[Bama]

How offen do u change the water n do u have to siphon the gravel every time oh I have plants in my tank.

I do a 30% water change every week in my understocked community tank. I have a lot of plants so vacuum the open areas during weekly maintenance.

 

[Rodjtcsa]

Ok thanks

 

[oldsalt777]

How offen do u change the water n do u have to siphon the gravel every time oh I have plants in my tank.

Hello Rod...

If you do the math, a water change less than 50 percent leaves most of the pollutants in the water. Your fish and plants will add to that before the next water change. Gradually work up to the point you change half or more of the water every week. This will replace minerals and oxygen that are lost because of the constant filtering of the water. Remember, water changes aren't based on how many fish you have, they're based on replacing the minerals and oxygen that are lost because of filtration.

Old

 

[grump299]

I do min 50% water changes a week I base mine on water parameters I test before. Then I vacuum half the tank front half one week and back the next.. I use a python water changer IMO the best thing I have ever get when it come to fish keeping..

 

[imba]

I never vacuum my substrate as my tanks are all aquasoil or sand.

I water change 25 to 40% each week, even though my nitrates are normally at 5

 

[oldsalt777]

I never vacuum my substrate as my tanks are all aquasoil or sand.

I water change 25 to 40% each week, even though my nitrates are normally at 5

Hello...

If you recall your high school chemistry classes, you remember that oxygen is driven off in the presence of nitrogen. Nitrogen is added to the tank water every time you feed your fish and plants. Your fish add nitrogen to the water every time they do their "business" in the water. There's quite a bit of nitrogen in the air too. Water testing doesn't test the oxygen in the water, so it needs to be replaced regularly through very large, weekly water changes of at least half the volume of the tank. By just doing a larger water change every week, you don't need to ever test the water, you know it's always high in minerals and oxygen. And, very low in nitrogen.

Old